Save Me
by Courage of Awesome
Summary: AU Kaoru is a girl treated differently because of her mixed heritage. She wants to know why she's treated so differently when the kings of the school are treated just like that, "Kings," when they have just as much mixed heritage. Her only escape is her mother's violin and her father's sword teachings. What happens when Kaoru is badly injured. Can Kenshin save her?
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, people. I'm doing something a little rare. I'm doing a short story while writing a bunch of stories and it's not a Zelda story! What?! It's a Rurouni Kenshin story.**

**So let's get started. I don't own Kenshin or any of the famous musical pieces in this story. Enjoy.**

* * *

Soft, beautiful notes echoed throughout the small music room. The vibrations of the strings hummed sweetly as the bow slid across them. The different tones interlaced together, creating a graceful melody. For Kaoru, the violin was an escape from the real world.

Kaoru's black-blue hair moved around wildly as she got into the piece she currently played. Her long, nimble fingers moved rapidly down the neck of the violin and her arm pumped faster, her bow now flying over the strings. She could practically hear the orchestra joining in with her now.

As she finished playing, she brought down her bow and the lovely instrument she treasured most in the world. After all, the violin was very old and was a gift from Kaoru's late mother. It had been hers when she was a little girl and it was the last thing she ever gave Kaoru. It was like it connected them.

With a sigh, Kaoru gazed down at the sheet music featuring "_Scarborough Fair" _for the violin. It was a favorite of hers, but a mere shadow of what she truly wished to play. Unfortunately, her music teacher would not supply the sheet music she so desperately wanted, deeming it to difficult, unless she proved herself to him. So as to not jinx herself, Kaoru never spoke the name of the piece known as _"The Devil's Sonata" _or by its other name _"The Devil's Trill." _

The piece itself was composed by the composer Giuseppe Tartini, the godfather of the violin. Tartini often said the idea of _"The Devil's Trill" _came to him in a dream where he made a pact and sold his soul to a devil. He had given the devil his violin and witnessed the birth of a sonata so unusual and so beautiful, performed with such mastery and intelligence, on a level he had never before conceived was possible. When he awoke, Tartini immediately set to work on trying to recall even a scrap of the beautiful sonata. The piece that was initially composed was indeed one of his best, in Tartini's own opinion, but it was nothing compared to the song he had dreamt of the night before. He almost smashed his violin and gave up music in frustration.

_"The Devil's Trill" _in itself was and will remain one of the hardest violin pieces to ever be attempted by anyone. Rumor was that anyone who attempted to play _"The Devil's Trill" _at a professional level would suffer a horrible fate. But Kaoru would attempt it no other way. She was determined to master the impossible.

Kaoru breathed in deeply, gathering her things. She swiftly left the music room, her violin in its case and in her hands. Her blue eyes gazed down at the floor as she walked, hoping not to meet anyone's elses. Kaoru prayed no one would acknowledge her. She didn't want to be teased. Reaching her locker, Kaoru quickly put in her passcode and opened the locker to retrieve her books.

She was digging out her Literature book and its partnered notebook when someone leaned against the locker next to her. "Hey, Jou-chan," the person said.

Kaoru looked over to Sagara Sanosuke. His brown, spikey hair stood up like usual, his forehead covered by that same red headband that was against dress code policy. His black uniform jacket was open and Kaoru could see a white T-shirt with the kanji for "Bad" printed on it. He was smiling down at her, his brown eyes cheery and excited.

"Hello, Sano. How are you?" Kaoru replied.

Sano waved his hand. "Forget me. How are you and your music coming along?"

Kaoru was shocked at first but then narrowed her eyes. The only time Sano asked about her music is when he wanted something. "What do you want, baka Rooster?"

Sano looked offended. "Jou-chan! I have no idea what you-," he trailed off, staring at Kaoru's questioning face. "Okay, okay," Sano said, holding up his hands. "How do I get Megumi to go on a date with me?"

Kaoru raised an eyebrow at her friend's behavior. Due to their mutual respect for each other and their deep friendship, they really felt no need to address each other with honorifics and knew just about everything about the other, but this was a new development. Kaoru had no idea her friend was pining for Takani Megumi, another friend of hers.

Sano had failed his last year of high school, making him nineteen this year. Megumi, on the other hand, was brilliant and graduating at seventeen at the end of the year. She was aiming to be a doctor. Sano would be lucky enough if he could find a job. No matter how hard she pictured it, Kaoru couldn't imagine those two being together, but she would help nevertheless.

Kaoru thought for a moment. "Well, Megumi-san seems to be a classy woman, but she also enjoys the more common things in life. Why don't you treat her to a classic date, say an ice cream parlor or something along those lines?" she suggested.

Sano let the idea linger in his underused brain for a moment. "Yeah, that sounds great. Thanks, Jou-chan."

"You shouldn't take advice from her, Sagara-san," a feminine voice purred. "She's never even been on a date. How would she know where to take someone?"

Kaoru looked over Sano's shoulder and saw Komagata Yumi sneering at her. Her dark eyes shined with mockery. With a pale hand, Yumi brushed away her burgundy hair and batted her eyelashes. It was obvious she had dyed it again. Kaoru glowered, fuming inside.

"Oh, buzz off, Yumi! Don't you have some puppies to kick somewhere?!" Sano snapped.

Yumi's eyes narrowed. "Don't be so familiar with me, Sagara-san. A man of your stature shouldn't be associating with a half-breed anyway!" she retorted. She brushed her hair over her shoulder again and turned on her heel leaving.

Looking down, Kaoru felt herself fall into a slump. It was true. She was a half-breed. Her father was Japanese and her mother was English, whom she got her azure irises. It was almost as if other students were prejudice, segregating Kaoru from her fellow students. She just didn't understand.

Sano looked down at his friend he had known since childhood. It wasn't good for her to be this down. He placed a large hand on her shoulder. "Hey, don't let her get to you, Kaoru. She's hateful to almost everyone," he said.

As Kaoru moped, a barrage of screaming girls ran down the hall. She looked down to where they ran to and saw the kings of the school. Shinomori Aoshi and Himura Kenshin. They were some of Sano's friends, but Kaoru didn't know much about them. The only thing she didn't know was that it wasn't fair.

She was sure Aoshi and, definitely, Kenshin were only half Japanese as well. Aoshi's jade eyes gave him away and no Japanese man had Kenshin's blood red hair and amethyst eyes. Why were they treated so well when she was shunned?

Kaoru watched as Kenshin and Aoshi approached her and Sano, girls glaring at her from behind him. She ducked her head and turned back to her locker, pretending to dig through it. Silently, she listened to their conversation.

"Good morning, Sanosuke," she heard Aoshi say. "Not getting into any fights this early are you?" She could hear the smirk in his voice.

"Of course not. Just a disagreement with Yumi. No fight whatsoever," he replied. He turned to Kenshin. "Morning, Kenshin."

"Good morning, Sano. And good morning to you, Kamiya-san," Kenshin said in his sweet voice.

Kaoru turned around bewildered. Did he just talk to her? She looked down at the floor, slightly embarrassed. "G-Good morning, H-Himura-san," she stuttered. Kaoru looked up at Kenshin with her eyes. From this angle, she thought, he was especially handsome.

Kenshin wasn't the tallest man on earth. Standing at five foot ten, Kenshin was towered over by Sano and Aoshi who were both around six foot two. But for Kaoru, he was the perfect height, standing at five foot six herself. Though he wasn't that tall, one could definitely see the hard, lean muscle on Kenshin's physique. It was clear that he worked out quite a bit. Aoshi and Sano were no slouches either. They were both toned with muscle as well.

At her shy reply, Kenshin smiled and nodded at her. "If you'll excuse me, I have to get to class. Have a nice day, Kamiya-san," he said, leaving.

Kaoru waved timidly at Kenshin's retreating figure, her eyes glued to his back. Sano stared at her, his eyebrow raised. A thought flashed through his mind and that made Sano smirk. "Well, well, well," he said. "I never thought you'd be that gutsy, Jou-chan."

"What are you talking about, Sanosuke?" Kaoru asked in confusion.

Sano let out a hearty laugh. "Who would've thought that little miss Kaoru would like Himura Kenshin! Ha!"

Kaoru's cheeks flamed. "Wh-what would make you think that?!" she demanded.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the stammering and the blushing and the casual glances. 'O-Oh, hi, K-Kenshin.' Please, Kaoru it's so obvious!" Sano said, imitating her.

With a groan, Kaoru hid her face in her hands. "Is it that obvious?" she questioned.

"Oh, it's obvious all right. That and Misao-chan may have dropped me a few hints last weekend," he agreed.

Kaoru growled and curled her hand into a fist. "Ooh, I'm gonna get her now." Kaoru's face softened. "Where is she anyway? She hasn't been here all day."

"According to Okina-san, she got a little too into her training yesterday and woke up with a black and blue back. Apparently she could barely even roll over," Sano informed her, rubbing the back of his head.

Kaoru gasped. "Poor Misao," she said.

Sano nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and Okina-san wasn't much better."

"What do you mean? Is Okina alright?" Kaoru asked, confused.

"Oh, yeah," Sano nodded. "He's a little black and blue himself from the many slaps he got. That old coot was running around chasing girls again. He got what he deserved."

Kaoru nodded enthusiastically as she started to walk to her next class, Sano trailing behind her. "A pervert is a pervert no matter how old he gets. It's a wonder he hasn't been arrested for harassment."

"Yeah, well. Anyway, see you after class, Jou-chan!"

"See you later Sanosuke!"

* * *

The rest of the day flew by with no other unexpected events. _Thank Kami, _Kaoru thought relieved. She couldn't wait to just lay down and relax at home. She often felt drained after school, and with a festival coming up, it was extremely busy.

As Kaoru walked through the gate to her late father's dojo, she felt a presence make itself known. "Hyah!" a voice yelled. Kaoru quickly stepped to the side and watched as her adoptive brother Myojin Yahiko landed face first against the ground. "Mmph!" he grunted.

Kaoru sighed loudly, almost in disappointment. "Yahiko, if you want to sneak up on me, try being a little quieter," she said.

"Says you, Ugly! I had you! Admit it!" Yahiko argued.

"Yeah, right! I could hear you from a mile away, baka! The only way you couldn't be detected is if we tied pillows to your feet and duck taped your mouth!" she retorted.

The two went after it for a couple of more minutes, glaring at each other. You could feel the lightning crackling in the air between the two. Finally, Kaoru, being the bigger person, broke the silence and the glaring. "How was school?"

"Fine," Yahiko entered gruffly.

"Just fine?"

"Yes," he replied with another one word answer. "What's it to you, anyway?"

She looked down at him with her big, blue eyes. A look of sadness passed over her features. With a pale hand, she ruffled Yahiko's spikey, black hair. "Sisters are supposed to worry about their little brothers."

Yahiko closed his chocolaty eyes tightly. "Hey! Stop messing with my hair, Ugly!" he shouted. "Don't you have something to do?!"

Kaoru's eyes shined with hurt, Yahiko having reminded her of her day. She slumped slightly and started to walk to her room. Kaoru quickly changed into a some jeans and a t-shirt before heading to the kitchen where she began preparing some food.

It was true Kaoru was a terrible cook, but she tried and she was slowly getting better. She searched through a recipe book and ended up on deciding to make Stir Fry. As she finished, she called Yahiko to dinner.

"Great," he groaned. "Now I get to eat your cooking."

Kaoru hit him upside his head. "You shouldn't complain. A lot of people don't get to eat like we do."

"Yeah, yeah. I know," Yahiko slumped, ashamed of himself. Without another word, the pair dug into their food, making no move to talk. "Hey, Kaoru?" Yahiko said suddenly. "Are you okay? You seem a lot more sad today."

With a slight smile, Kaoru nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just… had a hard day today."

Just as Yahiko went to reply, they heard the sound of the gate closing. Kaoru tensed and walked to the shoji door separating the dining room from the rest of the dojo. She slid the door open and peeked outside. She saw a slim figure standing near the front. "Who's there?!" she shouted.

"K-Kamiya-san… h-help me…"

Kaoru's eyes widened. Was that… "H-Himura Kenshin!"

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**Hope, you liked it. Please, rate and review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Time for the second chapter. Thanks for all the positive reviews!**

**I do not own Rurouni Kenshin! Nothing!**

* * *

Kaoru gazed down at the sleeping Kenshin, Dr. Gensai kneeling beside him, dressing the many wounds littered across his body. He seemed so pale. Just what had happened to the redhead?

"Kaoru-chan, may I speak to you outside?" Dr. Gensai asked, pulling the blankets over Kenshin's form.

She nodded. "Of course," Kaoru complied. She let the old man lead her outside of the room, sliding the shoji shut. "What's the matter?"

Dr. Gensai glanced back at the room the redhead currently resided in, stroking his grey beard. "It's about Himura-san. Do you know what happened to him?" Kaoru shook her head, making the doctor sigh. "I'm worried about him. I've met his guardian, Seijuro Hiko, many times and he may seem like an uncaring drunk, but he would never let this happen to Himura-san. Not only that, but Himura-san, from what I hear, is top in his kendo class."

_Himura-san is into kendo? _Kaoru questioned internally. "If that's true," she trailed off, "then what happened?"

With a shake of his head, Dr. Gensai began walking away towards the entrance of the dojo, adjusting the doctor's cap on his head. "I do not know, Kaoru-chan. Please tell me if he wakes up. I'm going to see if I can find Seijuro-san."

Kaoru nodded in affirmation. "I'll be sure to. Count on it." Dr. Gensai smiled before walking off down the road. With a sigh, Kaoru headed back inside and made her way to Yahiko's room. The light was off, so surely the boy was asleep. Sliding the shoji open a crack, she peered inside. Sure enough, the boy was fast asleep in his futon, snoring like a wildebeest.

With quiet feet, Kaoru walked to her room and sat down at her vanity. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, questioning her foreign appearances yet again. She grabbed the ribbon in her hair and pulled, allowing her midnight tresses to fall freely. Kaoru grabbed her comb and began raking through her hair gently. She began to hum.

As she finished combing her hair, Kaoru rose to get changed into her night yukata. She slid the purple robe of her shoulders before something caught her eye. It was her violin case resting against the wall in a lonely corner of the room. It seemed to call to her once again as it had many nights before. She slid a blue haori on as well before grabbing her violin case and heading out to the garden.

* * *

He was awoken. Violet eyes fluttered open weakly as a groan filtered its way past his lips. He brought his hand to his head, feeling bandages wrapped around his forehead with slender fingers. What had happened? Where was he?

Kenshin sat up, his red locks creating a veil around his head. He didn't recognize the room he was in. Wherever he was, it was a little old fashioned. Kenshin threw the covers off of himself, wincing as he did so. His whole body was pretty much covered in bandages. That's when he remembered what happened.

With a sigh, Kenshin got up and redressed himself, fixing up the futon as well. He tied his long hair into the familiar ponytail he had grown accustomed to before sliding open the shoji. Closing it, he scowled. _I should thank Kamiya-san for letting me stay here, _he thought to himself.

Suddenly, he grew still. Kenshin strained his ears, trying to pick up the fleeting sound he had just heard. There it was again. The sound was gentle and beautiful. It was so alluring and it seemed to have entranced the redhead. With slow steps, Kenshin followed the entrapping sound as it led him through the many paths surrounding the dojo.

Almost in frustration, Kenshin clenched his teeth together. He had been walking for at least two minutes and had yet to find the source of the sound. The melodious melody was almost dancing off of every wall, echoing everywhere. Closing his eyes, Kenshin focused on the music. In his mind he saw a path illuminated by a blue trail of sorts, so he began to follow it, his eyes still closed.

Finally, he stopped, opening his eyes slowly. His eyes widened at the sight before him. A woman of unearthly beauty sat before him on a wooden bench, fireflies surrounding her as they weaved between the falling sakura petals. The green glow of the tiny insects bounced off of her raven hair and made her pale skin seem like it was illuminated. She wore soft colors, almost fitting the song she played on the violin in her arms. Her eyes were closed and she rocked back and forth with each long movement of her bow. She was a goddess in Kenshin's eyes.

Then he recognized his goddess to be none other than Kamiya Kaoru. Who knew she possessed such skill with that tiny, wooden instrument. Kenshin longed to run his fingers through Kaoru's hair or perhaps even accompany her in the song with his own playing of the ivories.

A soft smile on Kenshin's face, he sat down on the wooden walkway, content to just listen to Kaoru play. Kenshin found himself closing his eyes once again, but to enjoy the beautiful playing. He let himself be swept away by the melody, swaying slightly.

The music unexpectedly stopped. Opening his eyes Kenshin stared into the alarmed azure irises of Kamiya Kaoru's. "Sumimasen, Kamiya-san. When I woke up, I heard you playing and thought it sounded beautiful," Kenshin apologized.

_He thinks my playing is beautiful? _Kaoru questioned herself, her cheeks turning a lovely shade of red. "Arigato, Himura-san, but I'm just an amateur compared to the greats."

"Ah, but that is why they are called the greats. It gives you something to work for," he corrected. "Now, tell me what song that was."

Kaoru blushed again, putting her violin away. "To my knowledge it's called_ Rain __by Brian Crain_. So Himura-san…"

"Please, just call me Kenshin. No honorifics needed."

"Kenshin," Kaoru tested, liking the way it rolled off her tongue. "Well then, you can call me Kaoru."

Kenshin's smile grew wider. "All right, Kaoru-dono."

Kaoru cocked her head to the side. "Uh, Kenshin… no one uses that honorific anymore."

He shrugged. "I was raised to be extremely proper. And let's just say old habits die hard."

Shaking her head, Kaoru cleared her mind from further distractions. "Anyway, do you want to tell me exactly what happened? You showing up on my doorstep the way you did scared me."

"I did not mean to scare you. Forgive me. As for what happened… I was beaten by some men who wanted revenge on Hiko, my guardian. Normally, I wouldn't give in, but I was in a public place with kids nearby. Those men played dirty, threatening them," he growled out an explanation.

"That's… very noble of you, Kenshin. I wish there were more people like you out there," Kaoru admitted. The only other people that were even remotely like Kenshin were her friends and Aoshi, although they all had their quirks.

Kaoru never noticed when Kenshin moved to sit down beside her. "You know, Kaoru-dono," he said, making her jump. "I'd very much like to get to know you more and to consider you as a friend. A close friend. What do you say, Kaoru-dono?" He stuck out his hand.

She thought about it for a moment. On one hand, Kaoru was sure to be ridiculed and emotionally abused for even breathing the same air as Kenshin. On the other hand, she's liked him for so long and this would be a opportune time to get to know him. Plus he can save her from the harm of her peers.

With a huge smile, Kaoru clasped Kenshin's hand in her own. His hand was a little cold, but she wasn't worried. As they say, those with cold hands have warm hearts.

* * *

Months passed and Kaoru and Kenshin had grown closer. The little things Kenshin did for Kaoru made her love for him intensify. Whether it was helping her up or just giving her a flower, it made Kaoru's heart swell. As for Kenshin, he could feel himself slowly liking Kaoru more and more. She was so innocent and breathtaking. When she talked about her dreams, it made Kenshin feel like he could stand by her and help her achieve those dreams.

Kenshin easily fit in with their group originally casting Megumi, Sano, Misao, and Kaoru. And where Kenshin went, Aoshi followed. He deemed it an act of true friendship. And Misao easily became smitten with the stoic Aoshi. To her he was the irresistible strong and silent type. She often caught herself twirling her long braid when around the man. Misao was also notably perkier when it came to training, almost as if she had a bounce in her step. Kaoru often heard Okina say something about a baby named Cupid, whatever that was.

Everything was going well. For the first time in a long time, Kaoru felt like she belonged. Not just with Kenshin, but with everybody. Of course, good times never last for long. There would always be something or someone to ruin it all. Kaoru found herself ridiculed and teased more and more since befriending Kenshin. His fans often tried to ambush her now. They even stooped as low as to steal her clothes after gym class. It took a lot of convincing from both Kenshin and Aoshi for the crazed fans to even consider returning her clothes.

It was now late spring, and the sakura trees were finally losing the last of their petals. Soon the trees would be green with vibrant leaves. Unfortunately, this made the pollen count high, and Kaoru couldn't seem to stop herself from sneezing. _Maybe I should start taking some allergy pills, _she found herself thinking.

"Kaoru!" a voice yelled, breaking her from her thoughts about sinus issues.

Said girl turned to see Yahiko running towards her. Kaoru shut her locker and faced her adoptive brother. "Yahiko! What are you doing here? Why aren't you in the junior high?"

"Ugly, would you shut up and listen to me?! Look at this!" he said, thrusting an envelope in her hands. "I found this on my desk this morning!"

Kaoru saw her surname on the envelope. She popped the seal and opened the envelope; she began reading the contents.

_Kamiya-san,_

_Time's up. Your father promised us our money and we've waited far too long for our compensation. Unless you pay us back by tomorrow afternoon, we're taking the money out of your hide._

There was no name saying who the letter was from or where it came from. Kaoru crumpled the up the letter before throwing it away. It must've been a student trying to pull a sick joke on her. Another sick idea created by Kenshin's and Aoshi's fans. She sighed. "Yahiko, don't worry about the letter. It was just a prank. We have nothing to worry about."

Yahiko nodded and watched his sister walk off. He wanted to believe her, he really did, but something seemed off. He couldn't shake the feeling something bad was going to happen. His samurai's instincts told him so. He walked to the trashcan and retrieved the crumpled letter as evidence.

_I sure hope Tanuki hasn't gotten herself into any trouble, _Yahiko thought worriedly, using the nickname for Kaoru he dubbed her so long ago. He really didn't want anything to happen to her, no matter how much he made fun of her. _She's the only family I have left._

* * *

Days flew by since the appearance of the letter with no other word from the sender. _A prank, _Kaoru thought once again, sure she was right on the money. Certain she wouldn't hear anything else about the letter, Kaoru headed to school as if it had never happened at all.

As she walked through the hallway, she rubbed at her shoulder. _Ah, I've been training a little too intensely with my bokken it seems. Perhaps a break is in order. What I wouldn't give for something for the aches though._ Kaoru began turning the lock mechanism on her locker upon reaching it. To her surprise, something came tumbling out as she opened it. Looking down at her feet, she found a single red rose and a note. _Another prank. It has to be. Just when I thought they had stopped too. _Picking both up, she suddenly smiled, reading the note.

_Meet me in the forest at 4:00. ~ You're secret admirer_

Kaoru was thrilled. What if the note was from Kenshin? It certainly looked like his handwriting. She recognized the elegant strokes. Then again, a lot of people wrote like Kenshin. Still, it could very possibly from him. She couldn't contain her excitement nor could she wait for her school day to end, wanting to know who sent the letter. And soon it did. Kaoru found herself walking the trails in the woods, looking for a certain redhead.

"Ugh, where is he?" she groaned. She had been walking for hours already. It was almost time for the meeting. A thought occurred to her. What if she really wasn't meeting Kenshin? What if it was someone else entirely? Could it all really have been just another prank to make her look stupid. Kaoru huffed in annoyance, not paying attention to where she was walking.

She continued to walk deeper and deeper into the woods. The light from the twilight sun was shining through the tree branches and their leaves, casting shadows along the ground. To make matters worse, everything looked the same. And at 4:05, Kaoru knew she was lost. Despite this, Kaoru continued to walk on, determined to find her way out now. She needed to get out of the woods before it got too much darker. It was obvious that she had been stood up. Either that or it really was a prank. Tears were now dripping down her porcelain face. She was stupid to have believed she actually had a secret admirer.

Crying as she walked, Kaoru became even more lost. Suddenly, she heard a cracking sound and froze. Slowly, eyes wide with fear, Kaoru looked down at her feet from whence the sound came, no longer crying. She didn't even have time to breathe before she began falling into a deep pit. And then there was pain, excruciating pain as she was impaled by branches at the bottom of the pit. She gasped for air, seeing the bloody branches protruding from her left leg right below her hip, her right arm, and her stomach. Even worse still, she could see a rock of significant size teetering on the edge of the pit from when the ground collapsed. She prayed it didn't fall. She could already tell her left leg and right arm were broken, she would be doomed if that rock fell.

A shadow from above started to block the little light that managed to filter through the trees. "Well, hello there, Kaoru-chan," said a sickeningly sweet voice.

Kaoru looked up and saw a dark skinned man with black hair and a very familiar woman. "Yumi!" Kaoru gasped, her tears flowing freely once again. "Wh-What's going on?"

"Oh, you really are dense, Kaoru, but that's not the point right now. I'd like to introduce you to Shishio Makoto, my dearest lover. He has some business with you it seems," Yumi snickered, running a pale hand over the man's arm. It looked like sandpaper.

The man now known as Shishio spoke up with a laugh, a laugh that make Kaoru's stomach flip. "Kamiya Kaoru, how nice to finally meet you. Yumi has told me all about you. I was so surprised when I learned her bitter enemy was the daughter of my steady flow of income."

"What are y-you talking a-about?" Kaoru whimpered out. She could barely breathe and she felt she would die just by talking. The blood wasn't stopping either. It just kept on flowing.

"Your daddy was a very powerful man, in his own way, of course. And the powerful are the strong, Kamiya-san. The weak are food for the strong. And your dear daddy was my food. He was most nutritious as well. And it all started when he had to... borrow some money and the interest just kept adding up. But he kept on borrowing. He couldn't afford to let his dear dojo close, nor could he let his sweet daughter starve. And when he couldn't pay the money, I got rid of him and his debt became yours. It's too bad you were never made aware," Shishio laughed manically. "It's truly ironic. The one person he tried to save after his wife died was his daughter and his downfall! It all goes hand in hand!"

_I can't believe father was in debt. Why didn't he tell me? How could he be acquainted with this man in the first place? _Kaoru wondered in a panic.

Shishio suddenly kicked the rock, sending it down the pit. Luckily, it didn't fully land on Kaoru, but it did drive her right arm further onto the branch. Kaoru screamed again, surprising herself that she could even make enough air to scream. Blood pooled around her in the dirt.

"When you see your daddy dearest again, tell him I said hi!" Shishio laughed, leaving with Yumi.

Kaoru could only make gasps and wheezes as she begged them not to leave her here to die. Her life flashed before her. She had done so little and she still had more to do. She had to take care of Yahiko! She wanted to confess to Kenshin…

Kaoru's vision blurred. She felt as if she was falling again, even though she knew she wasn't. The last thing she heard was the distant yelling of her name. "Kaoru!" She swore she heard it.

* * *

**End of chapter two and I left you guys on a cliffhanger. Don't worry though. Everything will be explained in the next chapter.**

**Woo! Stay tuned!**

**Please, rate and review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**H-Hey guys. H-How are you doing?**

**Crowd: Get her!**

**Ah! I'm sorry! Gomenasai! It wasn't my fault I couldn't update! My computer broke on me!**

**Crowd: (stops and settles down.) …Fine… (walks away.)**

**Phew. Anyway, before another angry mob breaks out, I do not own Kenshin. Enjoy.**

**By the way, there were some questions about Shishio in the last chapter and his gang/loan shark persona. Some were questioning why he killed Kaoru's dad. Well, gang members in different areas of the world like the Japanese yakuza have been known to kill people who couldn't repay their debts. It kept the yakuza from losing money further.**

* * *

Kenshin absolutely hated hospitals, but he'd make an exception in this case. After all, the girl in his arms was barely holding on as it was. Her skin was deathly pale and she felt so cold in his arms. Blood-soaked clothes stuck to her skin and her right arm and her left leg hung limply by her side. She wouldn't last much longer.

Quickening his already frantic sprint, Kenshin busted through the doors to the hospital. "Help! I need help!" he yelled. "She needs help!"

Doctors came rushing towards Kenshin with a gurney and he placed her gentle on it. Kenshin followed the gurney closely as it was pushed down the emergency wing and to the operating room. "What's your relationship with this woman?" one of the doctors asked.

"I'm her…" Kenshin stopped for a moment. What was he to Kaoru? "I'm her boyfriend," he finally asked.

The doctor nodded and continued on. "Who is she?"

"She's Kamiya Kaoru."

"Any immediate family?"

"No, but her guardian is Oguni Gensai, I believe," he answered without hesitation.

The doctor turned to a nurse. "Call Doctor Gensai and tell him to come down for Miss Kamiya." He turned back to Kenshin. "You can't come into the operating room, but you are welcome to wait outside. I shall ask for the situation later, Mr…"

"Himura. Himura Kenshin." The doctor nodded and proceeded into the room. Kenshin peered inside through the large glass window. He watched as the doctors stripped Kaoru bare and started hooking her up to these strange machines. It became a hideous sight when they started to cut into her soft, supple skin. And when they started pulling pieces of wood from her insides, Kenshin wanted to gut whoever had done this to her.

With a scowl, Kenshin walked over to the payphone stationed on the wall and slipped in some yen before punching in a series of numbers. On the third ring, the phone was picked up and a deep voice answered. "This better be important."

"Uncle Hiko, I need your help."

* * *

It was blissful. Kaoru felt no pain; no sorrow. It was nice. The thing was… reality seemed empty at that moment. It was as if she was missing something.

She floated around in that empty, black void until a bright, white light blinded her from above. She squinted and peered into the light, seeing the faint outline of a person. "Kaoru," that person spoke, his voice deep.

Kaoru's voice widened. She recognized that voice. "Otou-san!"

"Kaoru, you must go back," her father spoke.

"A-Am I dead?"

Her father seemed to ignore her as he continued to speak. "You must go back. Go back… go back… go back," his words echoed.

"Otou-san! Wait!" Kaoru yelled. Her father's outline faded from view as another image appeared before her. It was like she was looking through a window. She could see herself in a hospital being operated on. It made her sick to watch. She watched as the heart monitor suddenly flat lined.

"We're losing her! Quick get the defibrillator!" a doctor yelled. As he was handed the paddles and started rubbing them together, someone suddenly busted into the room. It was Kenshin! "Get him out of here! Clear!"

Kaoru's body heaved as it was shocked. "Kaoru! Kaoru!" Kenshin yelled, fighting against the doctors. He managed to get to her side before grasping her hand. "Kaoru! Please, don't go! Don't go!" Tears were pouring down the redhead's face. "Please," he cried.

Kenshin was finally pulled back and out of the room, and the doctor prepared the machine again. "Clear!" he yelled. Kaoru's body heaved again, her heart starting up again. The doctor's all sighed in relief. The lead doctor wiped some sweat off his brow. "All right, people we need to get a move on. We don't know when this could happen again," he instructed.

The image faded away. Kaoru touched her face and realized she was crying. "Kenshin," she sobbed, her lip trembling. She looked down. "I have to go back. I can't leave him," she realized. Slowly, she closed her eyes and let herself be carried off."

* * *

An insistent beeping sounded in Kaoru's ears. It was annoying. Very annoying. So annoying that it seemed forced Kaoru to awaken. And when she awoke, she had no idea where she was. It scared her at first until she remembered her time in the black abyss. She was in a hospital.

The morning light streamed into the area through the window. Kaoru looked around the room and noticed the flock of individual flowers and bouquets littering the room. There had to be millions of them. Slowly, Kaoru sat up, wincing at the terrible pain that struck her. Propping herself up on a pillow, she looked her body over. Almost her entire body was wrapped in bandages. That's not what brought tears to her eyes. It wasn't the cast on her leg or even the fact that she knew she was covered in holes. It was the sight of her arm.

Kaoru's mind suddenly whirled. What was wrong with it?! It was completely lifeless; she couldn't move it at all, not even her fingers. Kaoru could feel tears playing at her eyes. She leaned forwards very carefully and grabbed the medical clipboard at the foot of the bed. She began to read.

_Patient has multiple lacerations and puncture wounds located on most areas of the body. Patient experienced extreme blood loss, a concussion, and currently suffers broken/bruised bones including the left leg and various ribs. Right arm is in critical condition. Muscles and nerves there have been completely severed from the shoulder. Regrowth ranges from 3 to 6 months. Patient has been in a comatose state for the span of a week._

The young woman's eyes widened. She's been asleep for a week?! How? And what did the sheet say about her arm? The nerves and muscles were completely severed?

Without any warning, hot tears rushed down Kaoru's face. How was she to ever play violin again? She couldn't even move her arm! How was she supposed to move her bow across the strings? She'd never be able to chase her dreams without her violin. Kaoru collapsed into the pillow and sobbed into the fluffiness. She was heartbroken.

The sound of the door to the room opening caught Kaoru's attention. She yanked the blankets over her head. As the person walked in. "Kaoru," a soft voice called out. It was Kenshin.

"Go away, Kenshin. I don't want to see anyone right now," Kaoru said stubbornly.

The redhead's eyes grew to the size of saucers. "Kaoru! You're awake!" he exclaimed. He then noticed the tenseness in the air. "Kaoru-dono, what's the matter?" Kenshin asked.

Kaoru shoved the blankets off of her and sat up quickly, wincing at the sudden movement. "What's wrong?! Everything!" she shouted. Her tears came faster, her face red and her eyes puffy. "Why did this happen, Kenshin? Why?"

Kenshin's shoulders sagged and he released a breath. He sat down on the bed beside Kaoru. He reached out with his arms and pulled the fragile girl in close. Kaoru was caught off guard by the gesture. The only thing she was aware of was how warm it was in Kenshin's arms and how right it felt. She could feel Kenshin's heart beneath his strong chest. It beat with such ferocity and assurance. It was like it would never stop. She let it lull her into a sense of calmness.

Finally, Kenshin spoke. "I don't know why this happened, that I don't, but I do know that it will never happen again. I will personally make sure of that, that I will. I will protect you with my life. Which reminds me, there is something you need to see," he said. Kenshin released Kaoru and grabbed the remote to the TV. Switching it to the news, a report came on. "It's been playing all week."

On the TV was Shishio and Yumi getting arrested, only they looked like they went through a meat grinder. They were shoved into a police car and carried off to prison. It was definitely a sight.

"How?" Kaoru questioned.

"On the day it happened, I was in the area and heard them talking about it. It didn't take long to figure out what happened, especially when I found you. I brought you here and called my uncle to set up their arrest. Evidence was found and it was heavily against them," he explained.

"Y-You saved me? Thank you, Kenshin," she said, grateful.

Kenshin's face turned almost as red as his hair. "N-No problem," he stuttered.

Kaoru felt immensely better. It was like all her fears had been washed away with Kenshin. He really was her savior.

* * *

Two months passed in the blink of an eye for Kaoru, but for Kenshin, they seemed to drag on. He couldn't wait for the object of his newfound affection to be well once again. It pained him to see her in her current state. If only there was something he could do for her.

"Kenshin. Kenshin!" Kaoru shouted. "Jeez, come back from Lala Land, please!"

"Huh? Oh, forgive me, Kaoru-dono. I was out of my head for a moment," Kenshin apologized.

Kaoru cocked her head to the side. Her face contorted into a cute, yet confused look. She shook her head, dismissing it. "Anyway," Kaoru continued, "I was wondering how much I have missed at school."

"Not much at all. Everything got held up after Shishio and Yumi got arrested, that it did. The police found various other crimes committed by them all over the city, so to further help the investigation, the city shut down most public areas aside from stores," Kenshin explained.

"Oh. There's something else too. I wanted…" she began before someone knocked on the door. She sighed. "Come in!"

The door opened and Sanosuke and Yahiko paraded in. "Hey, Jou-chan! How you doing?" Sano smiled wide.

Kaoru smiled. "Much better. What brings you two around?"

"What? I can't see my ugly nee-san?" Yahiko questioned. He was suddenly hit hard on the back of the head, a lump forming. "Yow! What the heck was that for, Sanosuke?!"

Sano cracked his knuckles and blew out air. "You should treat your injured nee-san with more respect."

Yahiko crossed his arms and blew his hair away from his face. "Yeah, yeah, sure."

Kaoru chuckled before yawning. "Tired?" Kenshin asked. Kaoru nodded. With a smile, Kenshin rose from his chair and maneuvered his way around the flowers in the room. "Then I think we'll take our leave then, that we will."

"Oh, wait!" Yahiko suddenly shouted. He ran up to the end table by Kaoru's bed and leaned something against it. It was her violin. "I thought you might enjoy having it with you, so I brought it."

Kaoru just stared at the case, sweat dripping down her face. She felt her pulse speed up just from looking at it. Why was she so scared? Snapping herself out of her daze, Kaoru turned to her adoptive brother. "Thank you, Yahiko."

With a smile, the kid followed the older males out of the room, leaving Kaoru to think. As they left, she continued to stare at the violin case. She wanted to play, but she couldn't. Her physical therapist said it was still harmful to try to hold anything. Kaoru didn't want to look at her violin anymore. She pulled her blankets over her and attempted to go to sleep. She slowly drifted off.

* * *

It was gentle, yet invasive. It filled her ears with a harmonious sound. What was it?

Kaoru turned around in circles. Where was she? All she could see were clouds. Her gaze moved down towards her body. All her bandages, her casts were gone. What happened to them? What happened to the pain?

**_"Kaoru. Kaoru, come to me, little one, Come to me," _**a seductive voice purred.

"What? Who's there?!" Kaoru demanded. Her breathing became quicker. What was happening? Kaoru began walking around through the clouds, following the sound of the voice as it continued to speak.

**_"Kaoru. Kaoru. Kaoru," _**the voice chanted. **_"Come to me."_**

Kaoru's feet quickened and she was now sprinting, clouds rushing by. The floor suddenly dropped out from underneath her and she was sent spiraling down. She tried to scream, but the air quickly rushed out of her lungs. She landed on another cloud hard.

"I thought clouds were supposed to be soft," Kaoru groaned. A husky chuckle met Kaoru's ears and she jumped in surprise. Kaoru rose to her feet and looked behind her, where the chuckle came from. Her eyes widened in shock. "K-Kenshin?"

Before her, sitting on a cloud, appeared to be Kenshin. Only, he looked different. His already blood red hair, seemed darker; and instead of the beautiful violet eyes, Kaoru saw a stunning gold. Black, feathery wings were fanned out behind his back and in Kenshin's arms was a violin. He was playing _"The Devil's Trill!"_

"Kenshin," Kaoru spoke again.

The Kenshin look-alike looked up at her, ceasing his playing. The music didn't stop, however, and it was eerie. **_"Kaoru," _**he called out to her.

A cold chill crept up Kaoru's spine. "Y-Yes?" she stuttered.

**_"Kaoru, come to me,"_**the Kenshin doppelganger commanded, wiggling his finger in a "come hither" motion.

Kaoru cautiously approached. "Who are you?" she asked nervously.

**_"Oh, my sweet Kaoru. You may call me Battousai. I am, what you would call, the darker side of your beloved Kenshin."_**

"Darker side?"

Battousai laughed. **_"Correct, my dear. Now, how about we make a trade, yes?" _** Kaoru remained silent, confused. He lifted up the violin. **_"This," _**he said, **_"will allow you to play _**_'The Devil's Trill', __**was it? You can be the best to ever play. All you have to do is hand over your soul."**_

Battousai caressed Kaoru's face as her eyes widened in horror. She started to shake her head, backing away. "No, no!" she shouted. "You're not Kenshin! You're not even this… this Battousai! You're the devil and I'll never surrender to you!"

Battousai, the devil, laughed. The once seductive chuckle turned into an evil laugh. The floor fell out from under Kaoru once again, and she fell. And fell. And fell.

* * *

With a shout, Kaoru bolted up in her bed, gasping. Her body ached and her throat was sore. Sweat poured down her body, her clothes sticking to her skin. "Wh-What a horrible dream!" she panted.

She couldn't stop her gaze from landing on the violin beside her bed. It called out to her to play it. Kaoru couldn't help herself any longer. She grabbed the case and set it down on her bed, popping the latches. Opening it she grabbed her violin by its neck. Slowly taking her cast-covered arm out of her sling, Kaoru grabbed the bow somewhat awkwardly.

Taking in a deep breath, Kaoru raised the violin to her shoulder and positioned it under her chin. She moved her arm upwards and towards the violin. She didn't even make it half way to the instrument. An intense pain shot up Kaoru's body and her shoulder felt like it was on fire. She dropped the bow and the violin instantly. The violin landed on the bed while the bow went crashing to the floor.

Without any warning, Kaoru was overcome with tears. Why couldn't she do it? Why? Would she ever play again? Her body quivered and shook from her sobs. She couldn't do it anymore, that was for sure. Kaoru grabbed the violin with her good hand and put it back in its case before bending over to retrieve the bow. She stopped and looked at it with contempt then put it in its case. She closed the case and slid it under the bed, determined to never see it again.

Placing her arm back in its sling, Kaoru laid back in her bed. She was frustrated, sad, and tired. What would it take for her to be able to simply hold something again? How long would it be before she could play again? The more she thought about it, the more guilty she felt for having treated her violin the way she did. She grabbed it from under the bed and set it on the blankets. Her eyes now burned with hope and determination. She would get better! She would do whatever it takes to just get better!

* * *

Kenshin had no idea what he was doing at the hospital so late. The only thing he did know was that he wanted to see Kaoru. He walked up to her room, a box in his hand. It was a gift for the lovely woman inside. Kenshin hoped Kaoru would like it.

Knocking on the door, Kenshin waited for a reply. When he got none, he assumed she might be asleep. "Kaoru-dono?" he called out. Nothing. Quietly, Kenshin opened the door and saw an empty room. He immediately went into a panic and began searching the room for any sign of struggle. The thought of Shishio breaking out of jail to finish off Kaoru briefly flashed through his mind, but it quickly faded away when he couldn't find anything really out of place. Where was Kaoru?

Kenshin left the room and began searching of all the places in the hospital he knew Kaoru could get to. He searched the cafeteria, the roof, and even around the waiting rooms for whatever reason. When he finally got to the workout area for physical therapy, he was surprised. Attempting to climb the rock wall, was Kaoru! How was she even climbing it? Kenshin watched as Kaoru's face turned upwards in pain. Her teeth were gritted tightly together and tears were constantly dripping down her face.

"Kaoru!" Kenshin shouted. Surprised, Kaoru screamed and let go the wall, falling to the floor. Kenshin bolted for the falling girl and dove to catch her. She landed in his arms and they both crashed down onto the floor. "Are you all right?" Kenshin asked.

"Yes, but what are you doing here, Kenshin?"

Kenshin shook his head. "That's not important right now. What were you doing up there? How did you get up there?"

Kaoru looked away. "I-I wanted to prove to myself that I could get better. I want to get better; I need to get better."

"And you will," Kenshin said, "but this is not the way to do it. Things like this take time. You can't rush into things like this and expect to get off scot-free. You could have seriously injured yourself just by straining you muscles." Gently, Kenshin took her arm and extended it, wincing when she did. "See? You can't even move your arm now."

Kaoru's bottom lip trembled. "B-But… but… I have to get better! I need to be able to play!"

"You will get better, I promise. I will personally be by your side the entire way. You just have to let me help you, Kaoru."

Kenshin had said her name. He had said her name without an honorific. He was really serious, Kaoru realized. She looked down at her feet. "How?" she muttered. When she didn't get a reply, she went to look up at him. "Kensh…"

He kissed her. In a moment of awkwardness, Himura Kenshin kissed Kamiya Kaoru. Kenshin was clenching his eyes shut while Kaoru's were wide with surprise. She didn't know how to respond, so she closed her eyes and placed her good hand on Kenshin's cheek, deepening the kiss. Kenshin was shocked at first when she began to kiss him back, but he was happy.

Kaoru and Kenshin drew back from each other, both of them panting. The kiss had been awkward and sloppy, but one could feel all the love behind it. Kenshin ran his thumb over Kaoru's hair, tucking a piece behind her ear. Kami, he loved this woman. Kenshin reached over and grabbed the discarded box, from when he had dove to catch the beautiful woman in his arms, and placed it in Kaoru's lap. "Here," he said.

"What is it?" the woman questioned.

"Open it," Kenshin smiled.

Kaoru grabbed the box and lifted the lid, gasping at what was inside. It was a gold necklace in the shape of an eighth note. "It's beautiful," Kaoru breathed.

"It's for you. A gift," Kenshin explained. Kaoru stared at the redhead with adoration. "Here, let me put it on for you," he suggested. He reached inside the box and pulled out the necklace. He unfastened to hook and draped it over the Kaoru's neck. It contrasted beautifully against her fair skin.

"I don't know what to say," Kaoru admitted.

Kenshin smiled. "Say you like it and you'll take it."

Kaoru looked up at him. "I don't like it," she said. Kenshin's mood deflated. "I love it!" And just like that, it swelled. It was incredible to think that this woman could make him experience many different things all at once.

"You do?" Kenshin eagerly questioned.

Kaoru nodded enthusiastically before hugging Kenshin tightly. When she realized what she had done, she quickly backed off, spitting out apologies. "I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me! I…"

With a breathy chuckle, Kenshin dipped his head towards Kaoru and caught her rambling lips in another kiss. He smiled into the kiss when Kaoru wrapped her arm around him again. At parting, Kaoru was breathless. "Maybe I should ramble more often, but does this make us a couple?" she asked.

Kenshin smiled. "If you'd like. Now are you ever going to tell me what made you suddenly want to get better. It can't all be solely for your violin." Kaoru grew silent as her dream came rushing back to her. "Kaoru-dono?"

Kaoru breathed in deeply. "I had a dream. It was terrible. I didn't know where I was. There was nothing but clouds all around me. I could hear this noise, a song, being played on a violin. It sounded just like _'The Devil's Trill.' _I followed the song and then I was suddenly falling. Wherever I had ended up, I wasn't alone when I got there. He looked just like you."

"Who?"

"He did. Battousai, he called himself," she explained. Kenshin stiffened at the name, but he let Kaoru finish. "I don't think he was who he said he was. Even if this Battousai is supposed to be a darker version of you, I don't believe he would do as this guy said. He wouldn't commit an evil this great."

Kenshin licked is lips, moistening them. "Wh-What did he try to do?" he stuttered.

Kaoru hugged herself. "He tried to make me sell my soul. He said he would grant me the ability to play the violin better than anyone if I would sell my soul to him. I wouldn't do it, though. When I woke up, I felt the need to play, so I tried, but it hurt so much. But when I started thinking about it, I decided to prove that devil wrong and do it on my own. That's why I'm in here."

"Do… do you believe this Battousai really exists?" Kenshin asked.

"If he does, that guy certainly wasn't him."

The redhead grew nervous. "What if he really did exist?"

Kaoru was confused. "What do you mean?"

Kenshin took a deep breath before fully facing Kaoru. "He does exist, that he does. He's another part of me. He's almost like a double personality."

"How did I dream him?"

"Perhaps you unconsciously picked up on him when you met me. I'm ashamed to admit this, but he's the reason Shishio was so beat up when the police got a hold of him. I apparently tracked him down and yeah…"

Kaoru placed her hand on Kenshin's cheek. "You're not a monster, Kenshin. You and your other self, Battousai, are just… protective."

"Even if that was true," Kenshin began. "What if we take it too far one day?"

Kaoru smiled lightly before leaning into Kenshin. "Then we'll work to make it better."

Kenshin was amazed. How could someone as so innocent and fragile as Kaoru put so much faith in him? How could she still trust him? Not only that, but she put him at ease by just being near him. Kamiya Kaoru truly was amazing.

* * *

It had been months since that day. Kaoru's recovery had been a success and her nerves and muscles had grown back remarkably stronger than before. So had her confidence. She was more determined than ever to master _"The Devil's Trill." _

Kaoru had gained many new injuries from attempting to play the unplayable song. From a string breaking and popping her in the face to burning her hands trying to rescue the violin from when Yahiko accidently knocked it into the fire. Kaoru had suffered from it all. But it was all worth it, for at her school's recital, she would play _"The Devil's Trill."_

Backstage, Kaoru was so nervous and scared. Her body was trembling with worry. With her violin and bow clenched in one hand and neckline of her dress in the other, Kaoru tried to calm her heart. It kept beating frantically and wouldn't slow for anything.

Taking in a deep breath, Kaoru released the indigo material of her dress and smoothed out the wrinkles. As her hand moved, her fingers brushed across the necklace at her throat. It was the same necklace Kenshin had given her all those months ago. She felt calm all of a sudden. Was it because Kenshin would be watching her preform tonight?

Kaoru ran a hand through her loose curls. It had been Megumi's idea to style it like this, saying it would make her look elegant. She didn't understand how it worked, but she trusted Megumi.

"Kamiya-san, you're up," her teacher told her.

She nodded. "Yes, Sensei." It was time.

Kaoru walked out from behind the red, velvet curtain, glaring lights shining upon her. A light sweat began to form, making her skin glisten. When her eyes landed on all the people in the audience, Kaoru cursed herself. Why did she choose to do a solo?!

_To be able to play what I want the most. "The Devil's Trill," _she told herself.

Her gaze suddenly landed on a familiar man with red hair. Kaoru smiled. Kenshin. He really had come.

All doubt left Kaoru in an instance. She could do this. Raising her bow to the strings, she began. The sweet sounds that came from the humming instrument settled upon her ears as the piano accompaniment joined her. Kaoru gazed lovingly at her instrument, silently thanking it for all it had endured.

As the song continued on, the sounds turned intense and quick. She heard the crowd let out noises of awe as they watched her fingers fly over the neck of the violin at great speeds. Her arm pumped faster and the bow was moving at a rapid pace.

Then the pace slowed and became free-flowing. It had a romantic feel to it, but as quick as that came, it left for a faster pace once again before it settled right back into the slow movements, only sadder. "_The Devil's Trill" _was truly a complex piece.

Kaoru began rocking to the ever changing beats and rhythms, her eyes closed now in concentration. She wished her mother and father could be here to see her today, but as long as the others that were still here and loved her, that was all she needed.

Her eyes parted slowly and immediately landed on Kenshin's gasping face. He had a look of utter amazement settled on his features. It pleased, Kaoru to no end to know that she was the cause of this. And as the song finally came to a close after a duration of almost fifteen minutes, Kaoru relaxed her arms. Her shoulders ached, but it was worth it after the roar of applause met her ears.

Kaoru's eyes went wide as she saw the standing ovation. She looked over to her friends in the crowd. They were cheering the loudest out of everyone. Even Sano and Yahiko looked like they enjoyed her performance. Misao, who was sitting on the shoulders of the tower known as Shinomori Aoshi, was cheering the loudest.

When Kaoru made eye contact with Kenshin again, she couldn't believe what she saw. Tears were coming from his eyes. Kenshin never cried, and it warmed Kaoru's heart to see how moved he was. Her own eyes started to water. She bowed in front of the crowd, and with a smile, she walked off the stage.

Everything was finally going right.

* * *

**And it's the end. Sorry if seemed rushed at all, but this chapter was really hard to wright… and long! I did my best, honestly. And I know it's not the best story, but it's not the worst either. And forgive me for any errors, grammatical or spelling. I'm human and I will make mistakes no matter how many times I check over a document. Plus, spell checker doesn't always work well.**

**Anyway, I hope you guys liked the story. Sorry, it's only three chapters, but yeah. It's the content that counts.**

**Please rate and review.**


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